Search for MH370 Resumes, as Bad Weather Approaches

Bad weather is again threatening the search for the wreckage of a missing Malaysian jetliner, a day after fresh satellite images revealed a possible debris field.

Eleven airplanes and five ships from several countries scrambled Thursday to reach the area in the southern Indian Ocean where the possible debris was spotted.

Malaysian officials say 122 possible objects seen in satellite photos taken Sunday could be parts of the missing Boeing 777. Some of the objects appeared to be shiny and ranged in size from one to 23 meters.

The remote location, 2,500 kilometers off the southwest coast of Australia, and poor weather has complicated search efforts. Forecasters expect conditions to deteriorate later Thursday.

Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein stressed Wednesday the objects may not be parts of the missing aircraft, but he said the development represents "another new lead" in the investigation.

The possible debris was spotted not far from where other potential objects related to the plane were also seen in Chinese and Australian satellite photographs.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said Wednesday its search planes spotted three objects - "likely rope" and a "blue object" in the area. It said the debris was not relocated on further passes and that nothing was distinctive of Malaysia Airlines flight 370.

Malaysian officials say satellite data shows the aircraft almost certainly crashed into the sea, far from any land.

The plane, which was carrying 239 people, went missing without a distress call on March 8, hours after departing Kuala Lumpur for Beijing.